Feed-trough.



No. 725,162. k PATENTED APR. 14, 1903. J. J. SMITH.

FEED TROUGH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT Orricn.

JAMES J. SMITH, or MARSHALL, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

FEED-TROUG H.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 725,162, dated April 1%,1903.

Application filed November 19,1902. Serial No. 131,995. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJAMEs J. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marshall, in the county of Logan and Territory of Oklahoma,have invented a new and useful Feed- Trough, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in feed-troughs.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction offeed-troughs and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efiicient one ofgreat strength and durability adapted to save time and labor in feedingand watering stock and in cleaning it and capable of preventing, theanimals from Wasting either feed or water or interfering with oneanother.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feedtrough designed toextend into a pen, inclosure, or the like and to form apermanent part ofthe same and adapted to be readily operated by the foot of a person toarrange it for preventing access to' it by the stock and to afford readyaccess to it from the exterior of the pen or inclosu re to enable it tov be conveniently cleaned or supplied with feed or water withoutpermitting the animals to interfere with the operator.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a feed-troughconstructed in accordance with this invention and shown arranged forfeeding or watering stock. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the pivoted shield being arranged forexcludinganimals from the trough.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all' thefigures of the drawings.

l designates a trough designed to be arranged in an opening of a fence 2of a pen or inclosure and projecting inward and outward from the fenceto afford access to it from the interior and exterior of the same. Thetrough is provided with suitable end sills or pieces 3 to provide abroad base, and they may be staked or otherwise secured to the ground orto the floor or the like, and the ends of the trough are provided withtapering extensions 4., forming approximately triangular upper portionsfor supporting a pivoted shield 5, which is adapted to be arranged ateither side of the trough, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawings, to permit animals to have access to the trough and to excludethem therefrom.

The shield 5 is approximately V-shaped in cross-section, being composedof sides 6 and end pieces 7, the end pieces 7 being approximatelydiamond-shaped, as shown, to fit the inner faces of the sides, which arearranged at an angle to each other. The end pieces 7 form projectingtapering portions, which are perforated for the reception of pivot-bolts8, which also pass through perforations of the triangular extensions ofthe ends of the trough, and the latter are preferably reinforced bymetal strapsor pieces 9; but the parts may be pivoted together in anyother desired manner. When the shield is at either side of the trough,the lower side board 6 is arranged in avertical position from theadjacent side board of the trough, and the upper side board 6 of theshield inclines upward to a point directly beneath the adjacent portionof the fence or other inclosing wall. By this arrangement ample space isprovided, and there is no liability of the heads of the animals comingin contact with the shield while feeding. More room is also afforded theoperator in cleaning the trough or supplying feed or water to the same.

The feed-trough is provided with a frame or grating 10, connected withone side of the trough at the top thereof by hinges 11 and arranged in ahorizontal position at the top of the trough, as illustrated in Figs. 1and 2 of the drawings, when the feed-trough is arranged to permitanimals to have access to it. The frame or grating 10 is composed ofside bars and connecting transverse bars 12, forming spaces to permitthe heads of animals to be introduced into the trough and adapted toprevent an animal from interferone side of the shield by means of rods13,

provided at their outer ends with arms 14., arranged at right angles tothe rods and terminating in eyes 15, which are linked into eyes 16of-the inner face of one side of the shield. The rods telescope or slidein suitable open ings of the end bars of the frame or grating, asclearly shown in Fig. 2. These openings, which terminate short of oneside of the frame or grating, are provided with metal linings 17,preferably consisting of a tube or sheath. By this construction the rodsare housed within the frame or grating and are protected from theweather, so that there is no liability of the parts freezing or becominginoperative in cold weather. When the shield is swung over from theposition shown in Fig. 2 to that illustrated in Fig 3, it carries withit the frame or grating, which is raised from a horizontal position toan inclined position to permit the operator to have free access to thetrough.

One end of the shield is provided with an arm 18, consisting of a strapor bar secured to the inner face of the end 7 of the shield and havingits lower end angularly bent to offset it from the trough. This arm isconnected by a link or bar 19 with a lever 20, arranged in anapproximately horizontal position and pivoted at its inner end 21 to theadjacent end sill of the trough and provided at its outer end with anenlargement or footpiece 22, adapted to receive the foot of theoperator, whereby the trough may be operated while the hands of theoperator are free. By this construction it is unnecessary for theoperator when carrying feed to the trough to set down the feed andoperate the shield by hand; but the same may be operated by the foot.When the foot-lever is depressed, the shield is swung from one side tothe other and its momentum will carry it beyond the cente r, and theoperator by allowing his foot to remain on the treadle may resist theupward movement of the lever to cause the shield to be gently lowered toavoid injuring the trough or hurting an animal. The outer portion of thelever is arranged within a guide or keeper 23, secured to the end silland arranged as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that the feed-trough is simple and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be used for allpurposes for which an ordinary feed or water trough may be employed, andthat it will save time and labor in feeding animals and will efiectuallyprevent the same from interfering with the operator. It will also beapparent that it will prevent animals from wasting feed or interferingwith one another and that it will enable feed to be supplied from theexterior of the trough forming a permanent part of a pen, inclosure, orthe like.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising atrough, and a pivoted shield approximately V-shaped in cross-sectionhaving sides arranged at an angle to each other, said shield beingpivotal ly mounted above the trough and arranged to swing from one sideto the other of the same and extending vertically from the side of thetrough at which it is arranged, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a trough, a frame orgrating hinged to the trough and arranged to swing upward and downward,a pivoted shield mounted above the trough and arranged to swing from oneside of the trough to the other, and a rod slidably connected with theframe or grating and carried by the shield, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a trough, a pivotedshield, a hinged frame or grating provided with openings extendingtransversely of it, and rods slidable in the openings and connected withthe shield, substantially as described.

4. A device ofthe class described com prising a trough, a shield mountedabove the trough and arranged to move from one side to the otherof thesame, and means operable by foot for moving the shield from one side ofthe trough to the other and for controlling the drop of the same,substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising a trough, a grating orframe hinged to one side of the trough, a pivotally-mounted shieldconnected with the frame or grating andprovided with an arm, afoot-lever, and a rod or bar connecting the foot-lever with the arm,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixcdmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES J. SMITH.

Witnesses:

NORMAN DONLEY, RUTH E. DoNLEY.

